Dark Pasts
by LexAndAHalf
Summary: A week after returning home from the Second Titan War, Percy and Annabeth try to get used to their new "normal". Things from Percy's childhood resurface and Annabeth has to figure out how to help him before she loses him.
1. Chapter 1

**So this will be what happened after the war on Gaea, disregarding the Magnus Chase and Trials of Apollo books, though Estelle is still a possibility. This leads up to the events that caused After All This Time. This will be a short story, maybe just a few chapters. I don't own any of the characters in the PJO or HoO series. Enjoy! **

**Chapter One**

_They'd been back a week. Seven days. Eighty-four hours. Five thousand and forty-seven minutes. But who was counting?_

Annabeth tossed and turned but couldn't sleep. There was a small seashell nightlight in the corner of the room that cast a small blue glow across the room. She focused her eyes on it, trying to keep the dark corners of her mind at bay. She turned to lay on her side, facing Percy. She must have woken him up because his eyes were open, just barely, and he was looking at her. He smiled.

"What's wrong, Wisegirl?" He asked, his words slurring with sleep. She shook her head and cuddled up to him, shoving her face into his chest. He laid on his back, pulling her onto his chest. He rubbed her shoulder with his thumb, kissing the top of her head. She could smell him, his permanent smell of the ocean mixed with soap and deodorant. He never wore cologne, he didn't need to, he just smelled good. She found the scent of the ocean refreshing and it felt like home to her. She looked up at him, resting her chin on his sternum. His eyebrows were knit together in worry.

"You're still cute when you worry." She whispered, reaching up to smooth out his furrowed brow with her thumb. Percy chuckled quietly, remembering the last time she had said that.

"Do I still drool in my sleep?" He joked. She nodded enthusiastically, causing some hair to fall on his face. He took a strand and tugged gently, causing a lazy smile to appear on her face. She laid her head back down and listened to his heartbeat. Steady and calming. He continued to play with the strand of hair and trace circles on her back and shoulders. She slowly fell asleep.

Percy opened his eyes. Annabeth was sitting on the edge of the bed, stretching. She was beautiful, so much so that whenever he looked at Aphrodite, he saw Annabeth. Annabeth was a whole different kind of beautiful. She was by no means a model. She was all muscles, something a lot of people didn't find beautiful, but he thought she was stunning regardless. He had admired her when he was younger, then, he slowly started falling more and more in love with her.

He just wanted to keep her safe. She was the best thing to ever happen to him and he wasn't going to lose her.

He was spiraling. A non-stop plummet further into the shithole of negative memories he had kept repressed for the past five years. He didn't want her to be dragged down with him, so he had started to keep his distance. He saw that it was bothering Annabeth and worrying his parents but he couldn't let them know what was going on. Sally wouldn't be able to handle it, considering half of it was Gabe-related, and the other half was Tartarus-related, neither of which his mother knew about. He and Annabeth had promised not to tell Sally what happened. They told her it was better that she didn't know, and she agreed, after saying that if it started to bother them, then they needed to talk to her. He wasn't going to talk to Annabeth, she had her own problems to deal with and he didn't want to add his on to hers.

Annabeth had moved in with Percy, Sally, and Paul because they were going to school together for their senior year and Sally trusted both of them enough to let them share a bed. Percy had been so nervous the first night that he slept on the floor to give Annabeth space if she wanted. He woke up with Annabeth on the floor with him the next morning. The second night, they both stayed in the bed.

Percy sat up, causing Annabeth to turn her head to look at him. He leaned over and grabbed her by the waist, pulling her over to him, her laughing the entire way. He lifted her onto his lap and rested his face in the crook of her neck, smelling old books and olives. Olives didn't smell as bad as you'd think. It's a very savory smell, and extremely pleasant to Percy. They sat like that for a few minutes, Annabeth sitting on Percy, his arms wrapped around her waist with his face in her neck and her head leaned against his. He kissed her neck quickly, then moved to her cheek, then to her lips where they lingered for a while. School hadn't started yet so they had full days to themselves for the most part. Annabeth climbed off of Percy and sat on the edge of the bed.

"Spill it, Jackson." She said, looking at him expectantly. Her eyes were serious, he knew what was bugging her, but he couldn't expect her to deal with that. He shrugged.

"About what, Wisegirl?" He asked, innocently. She looked at him with worry in her eyes.

"What's wrong? You seem to forget that I know you better than you know yourself, Seaweed Brain. I know when something's wrong. If it's about Tartarus-" She started, taking his hand.

"Annabeth, I'm fine. 100 percent, 1,000 percent okay. Alright?" He interrupted her, avoiding her eyes. She sighed and let go of his hand.

"Fine. Whatever." She got up and walked out the door, obviously pissed. He rubbed his face and started thinking of a way to get out of the doghouse.

"Percy, you can't just move a piece. There are rules and certain spaces a knight can go. NO! NOT THAT WAY! Oh my Gods… You're impossible!" Annabeth was freaking out, trying to teach Percy how to play chess. He kept moving every piece like he was playing checkers.

"I don't get why there are so many rules. Shouldn't it be fun?" He asked, dropping the knight from his hand and leaning back in his seat.

"It _is_ fun, Seaweed Brain." Annabeth rolled her eyes.

"Maybe for smart people like you, but not dumbasses like me." He teased, reaching across the table to tug on a strand of her hair.

"You're not a dumbass, you just don't like puzzles." She explained, cleaning up the board. "Saw II it is then."

Percy was in his bed, he could see Annabeth lying next to him. He couldn't seem to fall asleep. He just stared up at the ceiling, barely moving. He tried closing his eyes and listening to Annabeth's breathing but something felt off. He tried to ignore it, he knew it wasn't a monster, so they weren't in any danger, but he couldn't shake the feeling. He opened his eyes to the sound of the bedroom door opening. He looked at the door but nothing was there. He closed his eyes again. He thought he'd fallen asleep. He thought that he was imagining the smell.

Or maybe he was hoping he was imagining it.

Percy opened his eyes, praying that he was wrong. Praying that he was just being paranoid. But he was wrong. The smell of stale beer and cigars wasn't the worst thing. Gabe stood at the edge of the bed, grinning sickly at Percy. Percy tried to move, to protect Annabeth from the monster beside the bed, to get away from the sick bastard, but he couldn't. He was stuck in one place. He turned his head to look at Annabeth but she wasn't there. He was left to deal with Gabe alone.

Gabe crawled onto the bed, just like he had done so many years ago. Percy couldn't do anything but cry.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of Rick Riordan's characters, plots, books, or anything of the like, and I am not Uncle Rick.**

Annabeth heard Percy cry out and opened her eyes. She turned over and saw Percy pressing his fists into the mattress, his eyes were open and tears were streaming out of his eyes, his mouth was closed but small whimpers were escaping. She had seen him when he had nightmares but he typically rolled over to hold her and it calmed him down. This time, she could tell, was different. When he had nightmares of all the horrible things they had gone through, he thrashed around as if he were fighting the battles again. This wasn't one of those times. She whispered his name a few times before reaching out and grabbing his shoulder. The moment her finger touched his skin, he yelled and his arm flew up, fist clenched, right into her cheekbone. She cried out and sat back, pressing a hand to her face.

Upon hearing her cry, Percy bolted up. He looked at her, holding her face as if she'd been struck. He then realized that he had hit her. His mind broke down slowly, barely allowing him to speak.

"Annabeth… I'm… I didn't… I… I'm… No… I... Please… " He sputtered out before he collapsed onto the bed again this time whispering things so softly that Annabeth couldn't understand. He had gone into convulsions, his eyes rolling into the back of his head. Annabeth screamed for Sally, not knowing what to do. In less than fifteen minutes, Percy was in the E.R.

Annabeth wasn't Percy's immediate family, so she wasn't allowed to see him. She paced in the waiting room for what felt like an eternity before Paul came out, his face sullen. Annabeth ran over to him, asking him questions at rapid-fire.

"He had a panic attack that led his body into shock. Apparently, he had them a lot as a child. He grew up a lot faster than mortal children should have to, and the stress that he has gone through the last five years has built up so much that his mind could no longer process everything. There was a disconnect with his mind and body, leading into shock. He should be fine in the morning." Paul was surprised that he was able to finish without Annabeth asking more questions, but she sat there, looking at her hands. He reached over and put a fatherly hand on her shoulder.

"Is he awake yet?" She asked in a tiny voice. Paul nodded his head.

"That's the confusing part. Sally asked if he wanted you in there, but he said no and started crying. What happened?" His voice was soft and gentle.

"He was having a nightmare, not like he usually does. He was so still, like he was being held down. I touched his shoulder to wake him up and he reacted and hit me. He didn't mean to though, he was still asleep when he did it, but he woke up right afterward and tried to apologize, but he… he started rambling so quietly and shaking and I didn't know what to do and I-" Annabeth had started going frantic when Paul cut her off.

"You can't blame yourself. The only thing you can do is be there for him. You've always been his rock, don't stop now. He obviously needs you, he just won't ask for help. Don't make it obvious that you're helping him, or else he'll freak, but pay attention to what he needs." He hugged her, one-armed. She nodded and wiped her face.

Three days after the night in the E.R., Percy hadn't slept at all. Annabeth finally noticed when she'd had a nightmare and turned to him for comfort but he wasn't there. She noticed a silhouette on the fire escape and walked over to the open window. Percy had his back to her, he was sitting with his knees up to his chest. She climbed through the window and sat down next to him in the cool night air.

"Nightmare?" He whispered, not turning his head.

"Yeah." She whispered back. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders, pulling her closer to him. She laid her head on his shoulder and looked at the city at night. There were a few cars speeding down the street and even fewer people on the sidewalks. There was a businessman walking down one side of the sidewalk, talking on the phone with his briefcase in hand, while a group of girls, in short, sparkly dresses, walked the opposite way, high heels in their hands. It was peaceful. They sat there for a while in silence.

"You should go back to bed, Annie," Percy said after a while. "It's too late for you to be up right now. You need to sleep." He finished. Annabeth shook her head.

"Not without you. You need to sleep too." She said, intertwining her fingers with his. Percy shook his head.

"I can't sleep. You just go inside, okay?" He said quietly. Annabeth stood up, trying to pull Percy up with her. "Beth, please."

"I can't fall asleep without you anymore. Will you just come in until I'm asleep?" She asked, tugging his arm. Percy looked up at her, sighed, and nodded. They slid in the window and walked over to the bed silently. Annabeth turned around to face him.

"Percy, What happened? That wasn't your typical nightmare. Something was off." She said, grabbing his hands. He looked at her, his eyes holding back something painful. He shook his head.

"It's not something you want to know, Annabeth. It happened when I was a kid and I-" He started but Annabeth cut him off.

"Percy, you have let me vent to you about everything I have ever gone through, whether it was seven days or seven years ago. Let me do that for you, Seaweed Brain." She said, dropping his hands to wrap her arms around his waist. She didn't hug him, but it kept him from turning away from her.

"Annabeth, I have a lot of problems that I don't want to push onto you. You have enough to deal with, you don't need my bullshit weighing down on your shoulders too." He sighed, laying his hands on her shoulders and kissing her forehead. Her shoulders drooped, disappointment showed on her face, and she dropped her hands. Percy knew that he had screwed up but he didn't know how else to protect her. She crawled into the bed with Percy in tow.

"Just because I have problems, it doesn't mean that I can't help you with yours." The daughter of Athena whispered after a few silent minutes. She felt Percy jump the slightest bit. She turned her head and, seeing that his eyes were drooping, apologized for waking him.

"I wasn't asleep." He said, unconvincingly. He sat up, leaning against the headboard, his finger tracing circles on Annabeths back. "Just go to sleep, Wisegirl."

A few moments later, she fell asleep.

Percy and Annabeth didn't talk much after that night. Annabeth was hurt that Percy wouldn't talk to her, and Percy was too busy chugging coffee to say much. On the fateful day that they ran out of coffee, Percy headed out to the store. He had been gone for five minutes when she went to the bedroom to lie down. She had talked to Piper about how to get Percy to talk to her but she wasn't able to help much. She gave one idea that Annabeth never would have thought of in a million years.

After debating for a good half hour, she got into a box that Sally had given them just in case. She had made up her mind. It was desperate, and something Annabeth never thought she'd do, but it was her only choice.

The night Annabeth let Percy sit on the fire escape was a crystal clear night with no clouds. Sally and Paul were at a convention in Jersey, leaving the two teenagers alone for the next two nights. Around midnight, Annabeth got up and climbed out the window. Percy looked at her, eyes too blurry to focus on her.

"Annabeth, please, I don't need to sleep. I just need to keep my mind busy." He grabbed her hand and pulled her closer. She wrapped her arms around him, shaking her head.

"I'm not going to ask you to go to bed, but it's getting cold and you could get pneumonia, so you should at least come inside." She leaned her chin on his shoulder, nose centimeters away from his cheek. He turned his head slightly and kissed her.

"I'll stay with you until you fall asleep, okay?" He got up, pulling Annabeth along with him. She nodded, kissing his cheek. They climbed in the window and into bed. After a while, Annabeth rose up on her elbows.

"I can't sleep." She whispered. He looked at her, his eyelids drooping.

"I need coffee anyway. Come with me?" He asked, yawning. Annabeth nodded and got up.

In the kitchen, while Percy made coffee, Annabeth worked up the courage to do what she had planned. He poured the creamer into her cup and handed it to her. They stood there drinking their coffee in silence. When they were done Percy put the cups in the sink and started rinsing them out. Annabeth hugged Percy from behind, pressing herself against him. He turned the water off and turned around in her arms.

Once he was facing her, she pressed herself into him again. He laid one arm across her back while the other played with her hair. Annabeth closed her eyes and leaned her chin on his chest. He leaned down and kissed her forehead.

"Seaweed Brain?" She whispered, opening her eyes. He smoothed a strand of her hair behind her ear before he replied.

"What's up, Wisegirl?" He asked, twirling a strand of her hair. She pushed up on her toes, pulling his head down to hers, and kissed him. It wasn't unlike the one Percy gave her in Athens. It was plenty full of passion and that sense of urgency, but it was even more desperate than before. This time, losing Percy would be a more intimate loss.

She pulled away, taking his hand and pulling him back out of the kitchen. He followed willingly, turning lights out as they passed until they got back into the bedroom.

"You never answered. What's wrong?" Percy asked, closing the door and turning off the light. Annabeth shook her head and walked over to the sock drawer. Percy cocked his eyebrow while she dug around.

"I was thinking since your parents are gone…" Annabeth began, finding what she was looking for. She held something small in her hand and walked over to the window to close the curtains. She sat on the bed and motioned for Percy to sit next to her.

"You were thinking about what?" He asked, his eyes on her hand. She opened her hand with a small square with "Trojan" written on it.

"Fitting, huh?" She put the condom on the bed. Percy just stared at it for a second before looking at Annabeth. She kept her gaze steady. "So, what do you think?"

"I… I didn't… Are you sure? Oh gods, I didn't pressure you, did I? I didn't mean to, I'm so sor-" Percy started freaking out, but was briskly cut off by Annabeth.

"No, you didn't, Seaweed Brain. And yes, I'm sure. I want to do this with you, Percy." She reassured him. He physically relaxed. She moved closer to him, her thigh against his. He still looked anxious, but he put his hand on her knee.

"Is this alright?" He asked hesitantly. She nodded, kissing him.

That's how the night went. Percy asked her if everything he was doing was okay, how she wanted him to do certain things, what she wanted him to do. In truth, Annabeth enjoyed it, even with the nagging disappointment in the back of her mind about her reasoning. It hurt at first, too much for her to completely hide it. When she let out a small wince, Percy almost stopped it. After she reassured him that she'd be okay, his nerves faded a bit. Percy cried knowing that he was hurting Annabeth, but Annabeth talked him through it. Once the initial pain faded, neither of them could form words correctly. In the end, they were both completely exhausted. Percy fell asleep for the first time in days, Annabeth in tow.

Percy slept for fourteen hours, dreaming of Annabeth, remembering their activity. Annabeth woke up around 1 pm the next day. She decided to let him sleep, seeing as he needed it. She tried to stay in the room as much as possible, just in case he had a nightmare. She had gone to get a glass of water when Percy woke up. He looked over at the other side of the bed to see it empty. Being Percy, he assumed the worst and prepared himself to apologize.

He got dressed and headed out to the kitchen. He found Annabeth leaning against the counter, staring off into space while sipping from her glass slowly. He stood in the doorway for a second before she noticed him. When she did, she put her glass down and turned toward him.

"I'm sorry." Percy said. Annabeth had a blank stare, not understanding.

"What for? You didn't do anything wrong." She walked over to him, covering his hand with hers on the counter.

"For taking advantage of you last night." He couldn't meet her eyes, but she grabbed his hands, trying to get him to look at her.

"I'm the one who started it, Seaweed Brain. You did nothing wrong, okay?" She explained in a calm voice. Percy shook his head.

"You're not in a good mental place, Annabeth. I took advantage of that." He tried to explain, pulling away, but Annabeth argued.

"I asked you. If I didn't want to, I wouldn't have brought it up. Have you ever known me to do anything I wasn't willing to do?" She turned his face to hers gently. He still wouldn't meet her eyes, but he shook his head. "I promise, Percy, I wanted to. Did you?"

"Of course I did, Annie, but I still feel like something's wrong." He finally looked at her. His eyes were troubled and it made Annabeth's chest hurt. She moved her hand to his cheek, running her thumb over his cheekbone. He leaned into the caress, eyes fluttering shut.

"What can I do to make you feel better?" She asked, almost whispering. He shrugged.

"I just need you to hold me for a little bit."

She took his hand and led him back to their room. When Sally and Paul got home the next day, they weren't surprised to see them asleep, but they were surprised to see the open condom wrapper on the floor.

**Soooo, I'm in my Jr year of college and working almost full time, but there's been a change in my original plans, so I'm doing MUCH better now and my drive to write this again has been restored so, I'm going to be writing more. As a quick warning, the next chapter will be difficult to read for some. There will be a trigger warning and some safety precautions, but it clears up what happened in the last chapter. I hope you enjoyed it! Stay safe my darlings!**


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